NationalsProspects.com

The NationalsProspects.com Top 10 Position Players

This year there was both consensus and chaos in the voting. Victor Robles was the undisputed #1 pick, Carter Kieboom was voted #2 on nine of ten ballots, as was Luis Garcia for the #3 spot (one voted flip-flopped the two). Telmito Agustin was the only other player named on all ten ballots.

Sixteen other players were named for a total of 23 players for the ten 10 spots, which broke down as…

  1. Victor Robles
  2. Carter Kieboom
  3. Luis Garcia
  4. Raudy Read
  5. Telmito Agustin
  6. Yasel Antuna
  7. Gage Canning
  8. Israel Pineda
  9. Jake Noll
  10. Tres Barrera

Others receiving votes: Jose Sanchez, Drew Ward, Yadiel Hernandez, Jose Marmolejos, Alec Keller, Blake Chisholm
Pablo O’Connor, Austin Davidson, Aldrem Corrdeor, Andruw Monasterio, K.J. Harrison, Rhett Wiseman, Braian Fernandez

For the fourth straight year, there were five holdovers (Robles, Kieboom, Garcia, Read, Antuna). Two players were traded away (Daniel Johnson, Blake Perkins) one graduated (Andrew Stevenson) while the “Orange” got, um, squeezed out after appearing to hit his ceiling this year.

During the voting, I resisted the urge to remind folks that Yasel Antuna will most likely not play a game north of Florida in 2019 (and if he does, it’ll be in Auburn in August). This, I believe, illustrates the “cavernous gaps” between the slots: a guy who’s injured and not guaranteed to recover from his surgery still has more promise than the next spot on the list.

Next up: the pitchers, which should be really be interesting because last year’s Top 10 has been savaged by injuries, trades, and age.

28 Commments

  1. Luke I believe this time of year a prerequisite for posting a comment on your site is at least consumption of two cups of coffee.
    The favorite ( Holy Craaaa$$$) batsman list provided comments which mirror this position list.
    My repeated comment is that 2019 will feature revelation of guys from DSL to promoted Auburn to Hags. A2, Fernandez , Hernandez , Chisholm trail winding on 70 to Hags …by the way. Silly question. Are there kids in the DSL academy who have not played on the DSL squad from the past two years of Johnny DiP ” signing spree??

  2. Luke your accessment previously on GCL was not as strong as some of the other affiliates . April will be interesting to see how Sanfler , Emilani ( Gil’s guy), Sosa progress along or behind Chisholm trail to XST or Hags. .
    Next up arms list. Luke
    After Vegas coverage

  3. I did have Agustin on my list, but I’m surprised to see him at #5. Gotta admit, I’m not sure what to make of him. He deserves to be on the list for good average and overall production (wRC+ of 132), but he’s a smallish corner OF who doesn’t hit for much HR power (but decent overall SLG) or steal many bases. He did significantly improve his offensive numbers across the board this year, albeit with some help from a very friendly .356 BABIP at Potomac.

    It’s hard to look at those numbers as a whole and get too excited, though. They strike me as something like Alec Keller, a good-hitting corner OF with few HRs and SBs. Agustin is still relatively young, though, coming up on his age-22 season, plus he’s lost some substantial time to injuries. So there’s still time to see more from him.

  4. Luke. Were you thinking of B Fernandez and Rhett Wiseman in the same thought when typing the honorable mention. ?
    Hey I understand. I type so many goofs in your site

      1. Nats transforming to a STL type direction pitching speed and defense.
        Let’s add Justin Bour and a sage bench bat also.

          1. I think a DJ LeMahieu signing might be better. Defense, plus. He can shift to short if Turner goes down we know they’ll turn to Carter Kieboom and put Luis Garcia on the front burner.

            And they still do need another ***top*** starter to push Roark to #5 and everyone else either to AAA Fresno or Harrisburg TBD. I am the guy who probably once again aggravated Luke by stating that we would see Juan Soto last season after the All Stars in the starting lineup. Of course Luke surely thinks I’m just lucky (again). Either way I’m not so stupid as to think Juan is a plug in replacement for Bryce because he’s not. Unless Robles suddenly becomes a 20 homer plus 100 RBI guy like Rendon I sincerely doubt their lineup will be as productive as last season even with the injuries, rehabs, etc. It’s going to be pitching, pitching, pitching, and then speed and defense to win and beat out the filthy rich in pitching Braves. I don’t like it, but it sure looks like they are going to have to do a trade to get a Corey Kluber or even former prospect Robbie Ray? Plus another key bullpen piece. Then done.

            If they do this they should have plenty of depth on call from AAA or the new AAA, AA Harrisburg in Ross, Fedde, McGowan, Alvarez, Reyes, Raquet, and Crowe to reasonably compete in that category with the uber pitching wealthy Braves. Clearly some of their flashy MI prospect depth plus pitching would go in any trade for a top flight starter with the possible exception of the uber expensive Grienke.

            Would any deal for another pitcher end Roark’s time with the Nats? Rizzo I think prefers having a team that emphasizes speed, defense and athleticism positionally. He now pretty much seems to have that.

  7. Somebody mentioned Garcia speaking @ Natsfest about the appeal of fast track through the farm for kids looking at org to get involved in.
    That fast track should be seen by Patrick Anderson in 2019
    with

  8. Oops. Luke. The screen acted up on my smart phone.
    Marinconz, Daily , Sanchez and Shaddy should treadmill to Potomac in various speeds followed by Jesus Morales, Ronald Sosa , Colton Pogue, T Vickers to fill in for them after late spring / post June draft promotion. Why keep June draftees from 2018 @ Auburn when the new June 19 bunch is thrown into the hopper??
    Passiciione is a prime example.
    Danny Hernandez a fast tracker ?

    1. There really aren’t any Soto’s down in the low minors this season? He was an aberration of ‘fast tracking’. Everyone else follows Rizzo rules that state you graduate from your level. At this point the only real Rizzo graduate I seems to be Yadiel Hernandez and his left-handed bat; as a bench piece he might serve the Nats well this season. I’m not sure Fedde can be listed as a graduate yet? ‘Judge’ Bourque looks very close and might get into the bullpen mix perhaps competing with cutter aficionado Suero? I do think one or more of those outfield types in Hernandez, Keller, Canning, Augustin, and Davidson, need to thrive at their levels as the depth at the major league level looks sparse with Taylor, Stevenson, and Kendrick. It’s a shame Drew Ward hasn’t discovered his power stroke at the higher levels yet, he could really help and he is younger than Ian Sagdal. He has learned how to build up the OBP though?

      1. Rules for graduation are simple: once a player loses rookie status, he’s no longer a prospect. That’s 130 plate appearances, 50 innings pitched, 45 days of service during the 25-man period (April-August). This is pretty universal, except for the service time; Baseball America doesn’t bother with it, which we learned a couple of years ago when they decided that Wilmer Difo was still a top 10 prospect despite having been on the bench for several weeks the previous summer.

        1. Dude side tangent.
          Some of the names minor league affiliates are conjuring up are going beyond. RE: Amarillo
          Bour , Duda or Adams reunion ??

        2. Luke. Snowbound Sunday in Carolina. On the edge of a busy Vegas week.
          Looking at the chart of Nats depth chart with free agents and guys up for Rule 5 exposure , I wonder several thoughts. First, if any of the guys like Agustin, Wiseman , Montesario and that Istler reliever would be grabbed .. would that be in Double A portion ??
          Two. You think brass brings back Hunter Jones to AA just to give Sens a guy to truly patrol CF with the Sundberg, Banks , whoever else not taken in Rule 5?
          G Lara could be plucked too??

          1. But if Harrisburg becomes the extended depth chart for the major league roster? With Daniel Johnson and Blake Perkins traded it seems like they could end up with Andrew Stevenson there? Telmito Augustin might work … maybe Gage Canning gets bumped up. Sure seems like Rizzo would have to sign some veteran AAA / AA depth for both Fresno and Harrisburg. Then there’s the one guy who is definitely faster than even Robles and that is Armand Upshaw … there’s a defensive CF still trying to get his offense together at age 22 as Michael A. did back in his day. Perhaps bound for Potomac even with his less than wonderful offensive stats?

        3. Amazing that Jeter is pushing for what he is on Realmuto after failing with the Nats.
          Trammel former number one pick with Reds seems like a quality jewel in Reds rebuild

        4. Luke I am so guilty of pushing some kids up a level on the mental Winter big board. Garcia should repeat Potomac with Cole Freeman joining him as his DP partner
          Kieboom repeats Harrisburg with Davidson , Noll, Sagdal , Corredor
          Perhaps the next top ten list should be suitcase AAA joes destined to fill the pantry @ Fresno ?

        1. Peric. We are both jumping some guys ahead of their timetable : Upshaw should be pushed to Potomac just because there is Freeman to lead off if need be. Otis Nixon comes to mind. Pure leather and speed with hit skills way behind .
          Canning is a wildcard. Potomac is a push in April ? Hagerstown should be bunched with OConner, Cody Wilson , Rhinesmith , Connell and maybe even Senior if he doesn’t get XST.
          Rule 5 should be interesting in a few days

      3. I am going out on the Christmas tree limb and say this. Braian Fernandez adulation about his talents might be like Aaron Copeland
        Appalachian movement
        with a gradual but ascending ground swell in 2019

      4. This is a repeat comment from before the season ended. That young DSL squad has some bats worth following @ GCL and Auburn ( motoring to Auburn ). Gerardi Diaz behind the plate plus some dayoff 1b could be a climber onto a future Batman list.
        There are numerous number crunchers who follow these comments so to them : sign DJ for second base to a one year with an option sweetening the appeal of his trade value once CarterK comes into D.C. Permanently ?? Sound right ?
        I am mentally and spiritually healthy with Bryce Harper being a former National. If Rizzo truly wants to have the best pitching staff in baseball and a retooled squad then he should arrange reunions with Robbie Ray and CARGO.
        Us ole ex-po fans have experience in letting go from 1987 when Dawson walked to Chicago to an unfilled out check leaving Murray Cook to fill the breach with Vance Law, Hubie Brooks , Dan Driessen, Mitch Webster who was traded to Cubs later for Mr Manager Martinez who unfortunately doesn’t handle a pitching staff like the one and only Buck Rodgers who Davey rarely brings up in nostalgic interviews. Always Joe GOD Madden. Buck spun some real magic in MTL battling the Mets andBraves then. End of soap box…

        1. PS. My man Tim Wallace stepped up huge for Buck that season. I believe over 100 RBI and mucho doubles

  9. I guess I’m the “flip-flop”. I prefer just turned 19 year old Luis Garcia to Carter Kieboom. I think he has the higher ceiling over Kieboom.

    1. Ironic. DJ played with Tulo in Colo and now he may be a mentor to CarterK who carries himself professionally like Tulo.

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